Archive of Dance Forum Articles From March, 1998

This is the archive of DANCE FORUM
articles which appeared during 1998

This is the place to review and savor all of those interesting
articles
written by our erudite readers. We would also like to acknowledge
Gay and Dave
Shepardson who actually do the mechanics of the website and put
up with
my eternal nagging about getting the stuff up.

[Editor's note: we are pleased to note that Providence has
sent us Arnold Taylor, the unofficial Chaplain to the Lindy Army.
Following the military service discussed below, Arnold met his
lovely wife Lil, worked for the now defunct Washington
Star, and became an Episcopalian Priest]

For the first time in my life I wore a zoot suit. It happened
on Mardi Gras - Fat Tuesday 1998. I borrowed it from Tom Koerner
to wear at a dinner-dance at St. Mark's Episcopal Church on
Capitol Hill where costume creativity abounds.

Picture this: A brown zoot suit with a reet pleat and a drape
shape, maroon suspenders, a canary yellow shirt, a genuine 1948
(I bought it myself) red/orange tie with a yellow swath down its
middle and geese flying across - AND SNOW WHITE HAIR! While the
outlandish outfit did not improve my dancing nor my level of
stamina, it did command attention. I was a genuine conversation
piece.

My recollection says that where I lived (Providence, RI) zoot
suits first were "popular" right after World War II.
Neither I nor any of my friends would have been caught dead in
such a flamboyant outfit. Wow! Nor would anyone have caught us
alive in one of those ''show-off" rigs.

Not only that, but the Depression mentality in me was (and is)
critical of the overbuilding in the garments. Think of how much
cloth is wasted in the baggy pants that reach up to the armpits
and the knee length jacket with lapels a foot wide. What a waste
of material! There is enough flab in the tailoring to trim the
excess and make a pair of matching Bermuda shorts.

I was all of 20 years old by then, a veteran of combat in
General George Patton's Third Army - and broke, as most of my
friends were. There was a glut in the labor market and paying
jobs were hard to get, and the pay was low. I was lucky to be
digging ditches for the Blackstone Valley Gas Company at 90 cents
an hour and zoot suits cost more than the average wear.

I rationalized that only "sharpies" wore them anyway
- guys who hung out on street corners or in the doorway of the
soda shops and whistled at gals who perchance walked by. That
was not my style. I had been slapped too often. Not only that,
but the "sharpies" where I came from had a cocky
attitude. When they talked it was like the sound of a leer, the
head bobbed back and forth and they bounced from the knees. I
think they invented the opening words to every sentence:
"Hey, man...."

Their walk was akin to a swagger. That was not my style.
After using a pick and shovel all day all I could do was put one
foot in front of the other - until after my swim at the YMCA, at
which time I would get decked out in my double-breasted suit with
a white shirt and brightly flowered tie and go dancing at the
Veteran's Club sometimes until three o'clock in the morning.

I tried out that cocky attitude and swagger at the recent
Mardi Gras dance at St. Mark's church among lots of friends.
Apparently nobody saw anything unusual - except the zoot
suit...!

[Editor's Note: Last August, Jenny introduced me to a
fellow named Toshio "Hiro" Watari who had the most
amazing digital camera that I had ever seen. He seemed to be
fascinated with the Lindy Hoppers at Glen Echo, and took several
discs full of pictures. It turns out that he went back to Japan
and began a one man campaign to bring Lindy to the land of the
rising sun.]

First Lindy Hop Workshop in Japan
Schedule of Events

Workshop:

Date: March 22, 1998 Time:14:00 - 17:00 Location:Dance School
Okumura (phone 03-3404-0835) Address:3-8-40 Minami-Aoyama,
Minato-ku, Tokyo Price:3000 Yen Description: Toshio Watari
presents the first Lindy Hop Swing workshop in Japan. The
workshop will be taught by Frankie Manning, the king of Savoy
Style Lindy Hop, from the USA, and Sing Lim and Andrew Vassiliou,
US Lindy Hop champions, from Singapore. No reservation required.
Check out their website, Lindy Hop in Japan

Date:March 22, 1998 Time:19:00 - 22:00 Location: Do Do Bird
(phone 03-3408-0298 )Address:3-13-1 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku,
Tokyo Price:6500 Yen Description:Frankie Manning dances to the
swingin' tunes of the jazz big band "Crescent" at a
small but very stylish Jazz spot in Tokyo. The excellent female
jazz pianist "Keiko Iwasaki" will also be featured. All
you can drink. Good meals are served. This will be a great
opportunity to speak with Frankie openly and personally.
Reservations REQUIRED. They can be made by email or phone to
Watari Dance Studio

[Other Editor's Note: We love that "all you can
drink" enticement. Apparently, these guys haven't heard
about Lindy and alcohol...]

Hi you guys, it's me, Susan ---your
friend-from-Denver-somewhat-displaced-in-NYC...I know that I've
fallen away a little bit from the entire Swing scene upon my
moving to NYC, and it seemed like just the opposite should have
happened upon coming here, but school, my internship at MTV, a
part time job and just plain fear of a girl running round the
city alone have discouraged my going out. But last night, I went
to the Greatest Bar On Earth in the World Trade Center. I arrived
rather early ( around 8:30) and danced with two gentlemen by the
names of Vernon and Kevin. I was rather nervous (as I always am
lately when I go dancing) because it has been a awhile, and I
could always use practice before I dance, but the guys were
great, very patient, and total fun to dance with.

A little later into the evening, I begin seeing some faces
that I recognize (although do not know personally) from the NYC
dance scene, and I'm getting excited because when I see these
faces it usually means a swing circle at some point in the
evening. These guys perform some of the best stuff that always
gives me inspiration and something to strive for in becoming a
better dancer. I also noticed a small group of dancers dressed
very retro, which caught my eye (of course!) because the general
crowd at this bar is dressed rather, well, touristy. I asked
Kevin if he knew who they were, and he said that some of the
dancers were up from DC and the Baltimore area. My jaw about
dropped. Then he pointed out some individuals, like this one lady
who had a dark bobbed hairstyle and a vintage dress, and said
that she was from New York and her name was Jennifer.

I think I practically TELEPORTED over to where she was
standing ---COMPLETELY INTERRUPTED her as she was getting ready
to go on the dance floor and asked her "Are you Jennifer
Comar??" -- You see, EVERY time I go out dancing, I ask
everyone, ANYONE , if they know her or if they are her. a couple
of times, it's resulted in embarrassing situations or someone
telling me "she ain't comin' tonight!" She and I had
exchanged e-mails a few times, and I was always hoping to finally
meet up with her one day, but never seemed to for all reasons
listed earlier--- Anyhow, she looked at me, brightly smiling, but
with a facial expression like "okay, who are you?" and
said that she was Jennifer Comar. I told her who I was and she
completely beamed and remarked how we FINALLY got to meet each
other. I then asked whether you and Carole were up here
dancing--that would have been the cherry on the cake if you were,
and she said that you weren't. (darn!) But, I got to meet and
dance with some really great dancers from your area.

I danced with a gentleman named Ray who absolutely floored
me---he is the ONLY man that I have ever danced with that spins
his partner with his right hand rather than his left. I was sort
of surprised by it at first, because no one had ever danced with
me like that, but absolutely thrilled at how skilled and easy to
follow he was. I then danced later with Jennifer's partner,
Daniel, who was so much fun to dance with, though at one point I
came completely out of my shoe which was really embarrassing, I
hope he didn't see it! I then danced with another gentleman by
the name of Peter, who I remembered looking at earlier because it
appeared that he was wearing part of a Zoot Suit. I think out of
all the great dancers, I had the best time with him and he told
me that he was up in NYC with part of his group the FlyCats. We
discussed a little about footwork and venues (including Glen
Echo) and he made me feel wonderful because he offered
encouraging words about my dancing and made me feel not so out of
practice (bless his heart).

Then the band came back from break and a swing circle began to
"Sing Sing Sing" and I watched everyone out there
showing their stuff and hamming it up for the crowd-- and of
course the crowd (and especially me) loved it!

*Note to myself*--go dancing more often! Don't ever forget
how much you love it!

For all the criticism we have of Henry Luce's editorial
policy, Life Magazine remains an excellent record of life
in the 1930s and 1940s. Recently, we attended a yard sale and
came away with a gigantic box of these magazines. We were drawn
to a photo essay on how World War II was affecting "An
American Block" in Hamilton, Ohio (November 8, 1943) The
article provided photos and interviews with "typical
American" families along one block in this small, mainstream
town. The major themes were present -- concern for loved ones in
the service, complaints about rationing, changes in routine since
women went off to work in defense plants. However, we also noted
some unusual things from the perspective of 1998. Specifically,
the photos documented people who led a very sparse existence.
The living rooms shown had a few chairs and not much ornament on
the walls. Kitchens were plain and utilitarian. Of note, all
the men photographed had very well-shined, but obviously old
shoes.

In the midst of the discussion about the war and sacrifices,
came a comment from Mrs. Ida Kunzelman who had experienced the
thrill of her first paycheck. She noted that she planned to buy
a pressure cooker. In the context of the war, this seemed a bit
odd. From our 20/20 hindsight, it seems that other things might
be higher on her list of priorities. Plus (as we found out
later), pressure cookers were made of aluminum which was very
scarce due to its use in aircraft. Acquisition of such a device
would have required considerable financial sacrifice and possibly
even dealing on the Black Market. So, we were left with the
question, "What is so desirable about a pressure
cooker?"

This question remained unanswered until we attended yet
another estate sale. Sitting amidst the kitchen detritus was, of
all things, an old pressure cooker. We offered fifty cents for
the thing and took it home, to examine it as an historical
artifact, with the hope of gaining some insight into Mrs.
Kunzelman's motivation. The thing appeared to be old, because it
has wooden handles; my memory of these things is plastic
handles, so it was a safe bet that the thing dated from before
1950. Unfortunately, on the subject of Mrs. K's motivation, we
found it to be singularly mute, although it is obviously made to
last --- the aluminum casting is graceful and about half an inch
thick. You probably could have made the whole wing of a
Dauntless dive-bomber out of the metal in this baby.

So, what do you do when you want to learn something these
days? Simple: crank up your search engine and enter
"PRESTO PRESSURE COOKER". Within five minutes, I was
looking at a picture of the object that I had before me. You can
view this also by simply accessing the website of the National
Presto Corporation.

A Brief History of the National Presto Corporation

The company was founded in 1905 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. It
manufactured industrial-size pressure canners, known as
"canner retorts," for commercial canneries. At that
time National Presto, then called Northwestern Iron and Steel
Works, was a major producer of fifty gallon capacity pressure
canners. Subsequently, the company also began production of
thirty-gallon canners for hotel use and soon thereafter
developed ten-gallon models suitable for home canning. In 1915
the company installed an aluminum foundry for the specific
purpose of manufacturing large-size pressure canners for home
use.

When, in 1917, the United States Department of Agriculture
determined that pressure canning was the only safe method of
canning low acid foods without risking food poisoning, all
commercial canneries were forced to equip themselves with
facilities for the pressure canning of their products. During
this period the company became one of the largest manufacturers
of cast aluminum cooking utensils in the world. Its products
were marketed under the trade name "National," and the
company name was changed to "National Pressure Cooker
Company" to more closely identify with its famous
brand.

With its vast experience in manufacturing pressure canners and
to more adequately meet the needs of the consumer, in 1939 the
company introduced the first saucepan-style pressure cooker and
gave it the trade name "Presto." (and, it is this
model that we have acquired) The Presto brand soon became
synonymous with pressure cooking, which represented to the
American housewife a method of cooking in one third the time
while maintaining the vitamin and mineral content of foods and
saving both food flavor and color.

So great was the consumer's acceptance of the Presto pressure
cooker that in 1941 facilities at National Presto were
dramatically increased. By the end of the year, the Presto
cooker ranked among the largest producers of housewares dollar
volume in leading stores throughout the country.

World War II, however, brought a temporary end to the
manufacture of pressure cookers as well as other cast aluminum
cooking utensils. Quick to cooperate in the war effort, the
company converted almost all of its production facilities into
war work, manufacturing artillery fuses, aerial bombs, and rocket
fuses. It became the first to manufacture rocket fuses on a mass
production scale and was also one of the first companies in the
state of Wisconsin to receive the Army-Navy "E" Award,
receiving five such awards during its wartime operation.
Throughout the period of World War II, the company continued to
manufacture canners for the extremely important victory garden
and canning programs. Materials for these canners were provided
by the War Production Board, and the canners were made of steel
since aluminum was not available.

With victory in sight in 1945, the company resumed a portion
of its civilian production. First to be released was a 16-quart
canner, followed by a 4-quart saucepan-type Presto pressure
cooker. The pent-up demand for pressure cookers was tremendous
and, in an industry which included eleven other manufacturers,
more Presto pressure cookers were
purchased by consumers than all other brands combined.
(Wasn't that exciting?)

Back to Mrs. Kunzelman

With some correspondence with the folks at Presto, we were
able to establish that our artifact was one of the 1945 4-quart
models. The people there said that Mrs. Kunzelman probably
wanted the thing so that she could continue to make traditional
meals while working at the defense plant, because pressure
cooking allows dishes to be prepared in about a third of the
time. So, Mrs. K had many of the same problems faced by
traditional two-career families. We guess that there was no
Boston Market, Fresh Fields or their equivalent at that time.
There really is nothing new under the sun... We wonder if Mr. K
got a lot of jive about helping out around the house --- a 90s
man was probably needed in the 40s.

As an afterthought, that wonderful story on the "American
Block" -- and it is, indeed, truly charming --- is in an
issue that features Jan Christian Smuts on both the cover and in
a lengthy glowing story. Gen. Smuts was the architect of South
Africa's apartheid policy. Our opinion of Henry Luce has not
changed one bit.

Hey, y'all!!!
Only 7 more days till I am back on the scene (for a time) in
D.C.! Can't wait to see you guys...

Anyway, this trip has had me so busy that I haven't had a
chance to tell you all about my fabulous experience at the Texas
Swing Riot last weekend. It was run by Four on the
Floor of Austin (Darby, Matt, Laura, Laura, Mike, etc.) and
it was supermergatroid. They had lessons on every level for
swing, lindy, charleston, shim sham, and jitterbug stroll (and
YES, I think I finally have them down--I do hope I get to do a
little while in D.C.) It was held at the Texas Federation of
Women's Clubs in Austin, this beaaaauuutiful--really, I wanted to
take this place home with me as a souvenir--old house/building
with a ballroom and gorgeous antique furniture throughout. Since
everything was in such perfect condition, it really was like
stepping back. And--get this--the ballroom was very Glen
Echo-like except.....it had doors that were left open and had the
unique ability to draw air through a room. It was fabulous.

They had live bands on Friday and Saturday nights--Lucky
Strikes, the Merchants of Venus, the Jive Bombers, Spies Like Us,
and the Studebakers. I really, really enjoyed Lucky Strikes
(very Indigo-ish), and for a good female group sound, the
Studebakers. I enjoyed all of them, except I found Spies Like Us
to be a little (dare I say it?) fast for my taste. Hey, they're
are a ska band. Out of all the people there, 8 couples decided
to brave the ferocious tempo. The floor was as slick as ice, and
let me tell you it was awful! Of course, everybody is watching
the band and enjoying the music instead of dancing to this
particular band. So it follows that this would be the time that I
get pulled onto this sheet of ice (popularly referred to as the
dance floor) to dance with a guy that is so good keeping up with
him--sans ice--is a challenge in itself. So there we are,
everybody watching, and I am just sliding all over the place. I
was so frustrated by the time the dance was over (and I must have
had an awful look on my face) because he actually hugged me and
said, "Hey there....it's OK!" :) I'm sure nobody
cared, but let me tell you, I sure did!

Anyway, I had a super fantastic time. Four on the Floor is a
GREAT group, and all the instructors from all over the state were
fab, too. (Iver, I met Rowena. She's super cool.) I can't tell
you how hard that drive back on up to school was. I about had
myself convinced that I really COULD drop out of school and go to
swing weekends for the rest of my life.... :)

When I was a kid, we owned two pressure cookers. Both my
mother and my father were proficient at pressure cooker use
(which included knowing how to put the lid on correctly, with the
rubber o-ring, and the little "hat" on top). One thing
you did not mention is that 1940's kitches (and my kitchen
today...) lack air conditioning. During a hot summer (and if I
remember from my reading, 1945 was a hot summer) the last thing
you felt like doing was firing up the oven to cook dinner. You
didn't particularly feel like slaving over a hot pot or griddle
either. The answer: throw everything into the pressure cooker
and retire to the living room, turn on the Philco and put your
feet up. Just before Fibber McGee & Molly, dinner should be
ready.

We now have crock pots and microwave ovens for these sorts of
things.

Here's a question for you. Before the days of electric
refridgeration, what was the official "ice box
etiquette"? You remember your mom always telling you to
close the refridgerator door and eat the leftovers before making
new food. But what special things had to be done in the days
before refridgerators? Was there special emphasis on cleaning
the plate because there was little room for leftovers? Was ice
cream seldom consumed at home because of storage? Was the
timeline on cooking meat tighter? Were you never allowed to open
the door unless it was absolutely necessary? Any funny family
stories about ice blocks?
---Sue

Frank and Carole,
I really enjoyed going through your web page, and am anxious to
return to finish reading the rest of the articles. I did want to
run a question by you and maybe gain a little insight into this
dilemma my girlfriend Michele and I have faced for the last
couple of months. we are living in Jacksonville, Florida, where
any form of swing dancing is not seen in any club. We stumbled
across the whole resurgence while spending time in Atlanta,
Georgia, and have been motivated to become great lindy hoppers
ever since. Well anyway, we are currently taking dance lessons
at Fred Astaire studios, and are not sure if this is a good idea
or agood investment for time and money. We didn't go into this
with any knowledge at all. We have been taking lessons now for 2
and half months, and because there isn't a soul in J-ville taking
lindy lessons, we have absolutely nothing to gauge our progress
on.

Do you have any suggestions or advice on where to get quality
lessons?

Watch us dance for a few minutes, preferably with someone we
usually dance with. This will give you an idea of what moves we
know (not that you have to stick only to moves we already know,
but more about that below) and will also show you some things
we're doing wrong that you can hopefully help correct.

Pick the right song. We probably aren't good enough yet to
keep up with you on a real killer-diller, but we also probably
have no clue how to dance to a really slow one. Something in the
175-200 bpm range is probably where we're going to be most
comfortable (about the pace of "In the Mood" give or
take).

Ask. Tom tells us over and over again to ask you to dance,
but generally speaking, we probably aren't going to. We figure
that we're such bad dancers that you'll either say no, or say yes
to be nice but then hate every minute of it. While you still may
hate every minute of it even if you ask us, at least we won't
feel as much like it's our fault! We need to dance with better
leaders to become better followers (and I've heard that dancing
with worse followers helps you all become better leaders,
although I obviously can't confirm this from my own experience!).
Look at dancing with us as four and a half minutes of community
service for all your fellow leaders.

Stick to the basics. Throw outs, whips, swing outs, turns,
Charleston patterns - these things may be old hat to you, but
we're still trying to figure out how to make them work properly,
and they're what we really need to dance, over and over, with
someone who does them right and can help us figure out what we do
wrong.

Teach us one or two new moves. One of the most fun parts
about dancing with someone who is much better than you is the
opportunity to learn something new. On the other hand, this is
not the time to pull out every piece of fancy footwork you know.
We already feel like we only know 3 moves; the last thing we need
is to spend four and a half minutes being led into move after
move we don't know. There are few things more frustrating than
being given lead after lead you have no idea how to interpret.
If you can, try to build on something we already know. For
instance, if we know echo kicks, teach us the echo kick underarm
turn or, for the slightly more adventurous, a traveling
Charleston. We're more likely to remember the new move if we
have an existing move to hang it on, so to speak. If we don't
pick it up right away, move to a basic pattern and explain it to
us really quick, then lead us back into it.

Correct obvious mistakes. If we're still kicking with the
whole leg rather than just from the knee down, point it
out...GENTLY (remember, we are already likely feeling stupid
and/or awkward). BUT don't use this as an opportunity to offer a
32-point treatise on the precisely detailed failings of our
swivel. We can only absorb so much at once, and we have to learn
to do something badly before we can learn to do it well. Don't
use this as an opportunity to have a running four and a half
minute commentary on the sum total of our failings as dancers.
Pick one or two of the major problems you notice in our form and
work on them with us. It helps keep us from feeling totally
incompetent.

Try to say something nice. Look for one thing to compliment
us on, no matter how minor (What a great smile! You really look
like you're enjoying yourself!). Again, it's a real confidence
booster and helps us feel a bit less incompetent.

Dance an entire song, even if we're really lousy and only
know triple step-triple step-rock step. Everyone has to start
somewhere. If necessary, keep "dumbing down" your
moves until we get to point we can keep up. It's only four and
half minutes of your life.

When our four and a half minutes is over, say thank you (even
if you don't really mean it), review very briefly either what you
worked on correcting in our dancing form and/or the new move or
two you taught us, and try not to dart away from us in palpable
terror of having to dance with us again.

Ask again. At some point. Not even necessarily the same
evening...or the same week. The fact that you want (or appear to
want) to dance with us again is an incredible confidence booster,
and will help us become more willing to ask other leaders to
dance ourselves (Tom would be so proud!). You can see if we still
remember what you taught us last time, you can help us with some
more of our problems, and you can teach us another new move or
two. Do this often enough, and eventually, we'll get good enough
that you'll actually WANT to dance with us.

Frank-
Your recent report of your excursion to Virginia hunt country
inspired me to write a bit about the MS 150K Bike Tour. The
National Capitol Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis
Society organizes various fund-raising events throughout the
year, including a major bike tour each May. The money raised is
used by NMSS to fund research into a cure for MS (a so-far
incurable disease which attacks the nervous system, and
tends to strike young adults), and to provide a variety of
assistance to people suffering from the disease. I got involved
with the bike tour because I thought it would be a fun thing to
do, but I have since come to know someone who has MS, so it is
even more meaningful now.

I have been riding in the bike tour since 1992, and intend to
do so again this year. Perhaps there are other swing dancers who
would be interested in riding as well. Unfortunately, the ride
conflicts with the Armed Forces Day bash at Glen Echo (it might
be possible to do a one-day option, and still get back for the
dancing - if you have legs left). If not, there are various
volunteer opportunities for the tour, or they could make a pledge
for my ride.

The ride is extremely well supported, with rest stops every 15
miles or so, ride marshals, bike mechanics, and sag wagons, as
well as free lunch, dinner, and breakfast.

The ride takes place in exactly the region you so recently
visited. The start/finish point is at Great Meadow, near The
Plains, and the tour travels through towns such as Marshall,
Orlean, Hume, Rectortown and Estes, in Loudoun, Fauquier,
Culpepper and Rappahannock counties. The overnight stay is at
the Notre Dame Academy. In mid-May the weather is usually very
cooperative (knock wood), and it is really quite a beautiful
ride. The route used to go through Leesburg and Middleburg,
but increasing development (I think) dictated a more southerly
route in the last couple of years.

There are now several options for doing the ride. The classic
tour consists of about 60 miles on Saturday, an overnight (with
food and music provided), and another 40 miles on Sunday. It is
also possible to do a "Century Loop" on Saturday, doing
all 100 miles in one day. You then have the option to go
directly home, or stay overnight and finish the final 40 miles
with the rest on Sunday. I believe that it may also be possible
to do 60 miles on Saturday and go home from there, but I'm not
sure. For several years I have been doing the whole shebang, or
a total of about 140 miles over the weekend. It's great fun,
although the hills in that part of the state make it quite a
challenge for an amateur biker like myself. Doing 100 miles in a
day gets to be kind of a Zen thing, as your world tends to reduce
to you, your aching legs, your bike, an the next hill you have to
climb. Downhills are a great reward, though.

I would encourage anyone interested to ride. Contact the
National Capitol Chapter of the NMSS for more information (I
don't have their number handy), or drop me a line
and I can fill you in. There is a registration
fee, and a minimum pledge amount, but they are not unreasonable
or terribly difficult to meet. There is the possibility to
register as a team, so if other dancers are going to ride
let me know and maybe we could ride as the Swingtown Cyclists, or
something.

Cheers!
---Dan Daley

[currently suffering from a severely sprained ankle, so no
dancing for me for a while.]

Hi Frank and Carole-
This is in response to Sue's inquiry about ice blocks. I
apologize if you finish reading this and think - gosh, that
was completely off the point. Now, I know you're thinking,
Jennifer is too young to remember any of this, but before you do,
let me tell you that my grandfather was one of the last
Adirondack ice and woodmen - he sold block ice until he died in
1976, and he basically raised his family on the business. By the
time I was a tot, his customer base had shrunk to people who went
camping on vacation in the summer. When I was a kid, we had to
put block ice into the cooler to keep the food fresh- this was
before people packed generators and RV's - we camped with two big
tents, and every night my grandfather's truck would come around
selling ice and firewood.

I seem to remember only needing one or two big blocks for
about a two week period. Ice, if stored properly, can keep for
months, even years. In the winter, they would cut huge blocks
out of the frozen lake, (in this case, Lake George, which, in a
cold season, can form several feet of ice over its 32 mile long
surface) . My grandfather would get his allotment, then haul it
back to his icehouse, where it would stay until needed in the
summer. The icehouse was located in the woods, very shady, and
was shut up extremely tight. We were forbidden to go near it,
(even though we did, it was one of our favorite places to be on a
hot summer day, not to mention the added attraction of an old
fashioned ice grinder, which kind of looked like a box with a
crank on one side, sort of like an old organ grinder, until you
peered in the mouth and saw all of the teeth that crushed the
ice. It was always my fear that my older brother would stick my
hand in and turn the crank) because if either my brother and I
were ever caught inside [the ice-house], no-one would have been
able to hear us call for help.

In terms of icebox capacity - the old freezers that were still
around the property when I was a kid were not that big, and
therefore could not hold that much once the iceblock was in there
with all of the food. Don't forget that butter and eggs can be
stored without a major amount of refrigeration, and meat was
usually a day to day purchase. Leftovers were the next day's
lunch, and most vegetables were "put up", canned the
old fashioned way in the late summer so they could be stored in
the pantry until eaten in the winter. At least that's how it was
in rural upstate New York. My mother still cans everything from
the garden, although she possesses a huge refrigerator and
freezer - Believe you me, once my grandmother got her first
modern freezer, there was no going back. Refrigeration changed
the face, (and figures) of most rural communities by bringing in
more processed foods and moving people away from a diet which was
mostly picked from the garden or bought fresh in the market. At
least that's how I see it.

Further inquiries about this lifestyle can be made to my
mother, Sheila.
She will surely occupy you for at least an hour.

Also, if anyone camped in the Lake George, New York area from
the 1960's through the 1970's and remembers my grandfather's
trucks going through, please let me know, (The trucks were
labeled Johnson's Ice and Wood). I'm trying to collect
stories.

Dear Diary,
We had the usual incredibly fun time with the Sevilles at
the dance at Glen Echo on March 7 and as always I stayed WAY too
late. The next morning I managed to sleep a little later in a
vain attempt to get some beauty rest, so it wasn't until about
11:15 when I started on cup of coffee number 2. I was enjoying
the morning immensely, when the phone rang.

"Hello," I said sweetly.

A deep, sonorous, melodic male voice said, "Yo, baby,
whazzup?"

"What's up with your own bad self?" I said, equally
sweetly and brightly although I did not recognize the voice. He
then said something I didn't quite understand.

I begin to get suspicious. "Who is this?" I say,
still sweet and bright but curious.

A few moments later, the phone rings. Naturally I let it go
into my voice mail, wait a few minutes, and then call in to
retrieve the message. Who is this guy?

STEVEN MITCHELL, that's who! It turns out that Steven and
partner Erin Stevens are in town for a performance at the White
House the night of Monday, March 9. They've got rehearsals all
over the place but he's got a little free time and is hoping we
can get together for a visit.

Well, boy, was I embarrased. So I call him back at the Hotel
Washington and we had a really lovely chat. I invited him and
Erin to join us later on Sunday night at the dance party at
America, but the poor puppies didn't get back from rehearsal
until past 9:30 and were just dog-tired. Our tentative plans for
breakfast on Monday never materialized, but I was delighted he
took the time to call. He sends warm regards to all his pals here
in the DC area.

Parenthetically, Tom and I had been recommended to the
producers of this event but they never called on us, which is
doubly sad because I really think Bill Clinton has been a good
president and I support him wholeheartedly (take that, all you
Republicans)! Also at the White House that night was a Lindy
couple from Harlem, although I never found out who they were, and
Savion Glover along with local tap dancers. I hear this
performance may air on PBS in April but my info is very
sketchy.

So the moral of the story is, I thought Steven Mitchell was an
obscene phone caller!!

So not having been invited to perform at the White House, what
does it take to salve my wounded ego? A CALL FROM DEBBIE ALLEN,
that's what! Yes, Debbie Allen of Fame fame,
director/choreographer of the made-for-tv movie Stompin' at
the Savoy, and sister of Mrs. Huxtable. Debbie is working
at the Kennedy Center with Youth and Family Programs, under the
aegis of the Education Department at the KenCen. She's
choreographing and directing an original ballet for a group of
kids ranging from 8 to 17 years of age and is putting in a swing
scene. She had worked with Frankie and Norma when doing
Stompin' at the Savoy and knew she wanted to get
some real Lindy Hoppers to work with the kids.

(Okay, I can hear the snickers now. "If she wanted real
Lindy Hoppers, why'd she call Sternberg and Koerner?"). She
first called Norma, who couldn't make it, and then came to me
through Brad Bradford, ace DC Hand Dancer, who recommended us for
the task. We went to the KenCen Tuesday the 10th and met Debbie
and taught her and the kids; she then went out of town and left
us to do four more sessions with the kids. At this writing, we're
not sure whether we'll be called back, but if Debbie summons,
we'll answer!

Lemme tell y'all, it was FUN! This group of kids has been a
delight to work with. They still don't look like Lindy dancers
(pointed toes all over the place!!) but they are incredibly fast
learners. We show it, they do it. None of this, "Okay, my
weight is on my right foot, now I'm going to step onto my
left," for them! It has been an honor and a thrill, and even
my mom was impressed to hear that Debbie Allen called ME!!!

Now let's see: preparations for the Battle of the Big Bands
are happily underway, with things heading rapidly towards the
Event of the Decade! Friends Marcus Koch and Barbl Kaufer are
coming in from Germany just for the dance, because they think it
sounds fun! Tom's other girlfriend Jean Veloz will be here, just
to be groovy. And of course, Eric and Sylvia also from Los
Angeles, who will also be doing classes in Charleston, Shag and
Lindy on Saturday and Sunday March 28 and 29. This should be an
amazing weekend and I'm so excited I'm even cleaning my
apartment! All I can do is stay up nights, worrying about what
I'm going to wear!

Ladies, I have set a date for the hairdo party; it is
Thursday, April 16 at 8:30 pm at the salon Jenelle works at
someplace in Virginia. I'll have directions the week before. The
gals that are scheduled to go are:

Chris Bamberger

Me!!

Elizabeth Weaver Engle

Sue Fedor

Ellen Werther

Diane Carroad

Chris Grushenkah

Carolyn Biczel

Page Anne Smith

Robin Cunningham

Peggy I-forgot-your-last-name-but-you-know-who-you-are

Remember gals, we'll be pitching in $10 cash for Jenelle's
time and food should definately be considered. Now, start
planning your outfits!

And so, dear Diary, good night, and sweetest of all Lindy Hop
dreams.
---Auntie Deb

I got this from from Elizabeth Castro in our Office of Disease
Prevention in HHS... I guess our American java is sort of safe
but watch out in Sweden!

I thought you all might be interested in a recent article from
Annual Review of Nutrition (1997) "The
cholesterol-raising factor from coffee beans." Two
diterpine esters of lipids have been identified from coffee beans
that raise serum cholesterol (mostly LDL-cholesterol) in humans.
Filtration brewing methods (like those used by most Americans)
remove the diterpenes, probably explaining why U.S. studies have
been unable to reproduce the coffee-associated increase in serum
cholesterol observed in Scandinavian and other countries that
boil their coffee.
---Diane

[Editor's Note: All of my antique coffee-pots are
apparently Instruments of Death! But, watch out for the coffee
if you go to Herrang.]

Carole and Frank:
March 19, 1998. Exclusive News. Every year, the American Swing
Dance Championships is held in the New York area, and will be
held this year at the Sheraton Meadowlands, 12 minutes from the
Lincoln Tunnel, on April 2 to 5. On Thursday night -- April 2,
the ASDC, Paolo Lanna, Bill Kline, Laura Jeffers, Angie
Whitworth, Janice Wilson, Dance Manhattan, Swing 46, and Swing
Out NY are hosting a slam bam welcoming lindy hop "JERSEY
BOUNCE" dance in the enormous Sheraton Meadowlands ballroom
featuring a 17 piece New York City All Star Swing Band, under the
leadership of George Gee. The band will feature musicians from
George Gee's Make Believe Ballroom Big Band, The Blues Jumpers,
and The Flipped Fedoras. The event will start with a workshop by
Steve Mitchell, world famous lindy hop dancer, who with Erin
Stevens persuaded Frankie Manning to come out of retirement over
ten years ago. On the dance floor will be all of the world
famous lindy hopper competitors and judges attending the event
including Ryan Francois (who choreographed Swing
Kids and danced alongside Denzel Washington in
Malcolm X) and Jenny Thomas, last year's champions
who are judging this year. And, of course you will find all the
best lindy hoppers in New York City and the other competitors and
attendees from around the country. Finally, there will be a Jack
'n Jill Competition with seven prizes for Newcomer dancers, so if
you are a good intermediate dancer, you should compete.

Further details will be provided on the. Jersey Bounce Flyer. A West
Coast Swing dance will also take place in a room across the hall
from the same ballroom, and you may attend both at the same price
which is $15.00 or only $10.00 if you have a weekend pass. The
Steven Mitchell workshop is $15.00. You may attend the party and
the dance for only $25.00. The workshop starts at 7:00 PM and
the live band starts at 9:00 PM. Best bet for transportation is
to take the short ride from the Port Authority on the #322 bus
and for the return count upon getting a ride from someone with a
car, taking the hotel shuttle, or at worst, sharing a taxi.
Imagine dancing to a big band playing real lindy swing music on a
large dance floor and not being stomped on by people who have no
interest in the dance.
---Alan

HI All- As I hope we all know, the New York Swing Cats are
sponsoring two Lindy Hop workshops with Sing Lim and Andrew
Vassiliou next month. They'll be held on Thursday, April 9th, at
MTW, (on Lafayette street below Astor Place) with an intermediate
workshop from 6:30 to 8:00, and an advanced workshop from 8:30
til 10:00. The cost is $20 each or $35 for both in advance; $25
each or $40 for both at the door.

Space is limited, so if you're planning to come LET ME KNOW
NOW SO I CAN RESERVE YOUR SPOT!

The contact number to call is Jun Maruta (212) 987-7661 - If
you are going to send a check, make it payable to Bill Kline and
send it ASAP, along with what workshop you'll be taking and if
you are a lead or follow, etc., to: Laura Jeffers 521 W111th
Street, NYC 10025

(This workshop is the first official venture of the NY Swing
Cats, a group that we formed last year to promote lindy and
swing in the NYC dance community. Our main goal for the time
being is to set up workshops with out of town teachers and rarely
used local talent. Anyone who would like to know what we're up
to can always contact me via e-mail.
---Jennifer

Dear Frank and Carole,
Hey! I just wanted to say how GREAT it was to see you guys
Friday before last. I cannot believe how crowded America has
gotten--it's really amazing. It's great that the scene is
reaching so many more people my age (hey, keeps 'em out of the
mosh pits) as it is here in Dallas. It seems to be hard, though,
to keep everybody dancing, with the proportion of beginners to
regulars so large!!

I had a great time in New York, also. We went to Windows on
the World (also commonly referred to as
"Waterworld"--ask Steve about that one), the Supper
Club, Louisiana's, and Irving Plaza (or "The
Pavillion," as I could not quit calling it). I had a great
time, but regret that I was unable to get that one last
"howdy" in before I left.

Have a great day and keep swingin'!
Your friend in Dallas,
---Rachel B.

Oh, Uncle Frankie, I'm so excited I can hardly stand it! What
a week this is going to be!

Tom and I pick Erik and Sylvia and the fabulous Jean Veloz up
at the airport on Thursday. Friday night, the fun begins in
earnest! Those three, plus visitors Marcus & Baerbl will all be
swingin' the rafters at America. Saturday and Sunday we have
classes with Erik and Sylvia from 11 am to 3:13 pm (sorry,
they're all filled).

Saturday night, of course, is the event of the century with
the terrific Battle of the Big Bands! Another friend, Natalie
Gomez (the French Bombshell who taught me and Tom one of our
aerials) is coming down from New York! This should be the most
incredible jam in the history of yer momma. Don't forget, the
dance goes until 1 a.m.!

If you haven't had enough, Erik and Sylvia, Jean, and Marcus
& Baerbl will be around at the open dancing on Sunday and
Monday nights. SPECIAL ADDED BONUS: Erik and Sylvia will also be
teaching for Craig Hutchinson at the Vienna Grille on Tuesday
night. If you haven't been able to get in to the classes on
Saturday and Sunday and are not in our regular Sunday or Monday
night classes, this could be your only chance to take a class
with these kids.

In any event, we are convinced that the next stop for Erik and
Sylvia is superstardom, in the dance world and beyond. Don't miss
a chance to see them before they skyrocket to the top!

Normally after a chock-filled weekend like that, we'd all want
to crawl into a cave and nap for a month. But, the ASDC is being
held at the Meadowlands the following weekend, the first in
April. Don't miss supporting your local friends who are
competing, and show the swing world you want to see more Lindy!
Craig Hutchinson still has weekend table passes, for those who
don't have tickets already. This event is getting to be more and
more fun as the organizers pay more attention to Lindy. Also,
Ryan, Sing, and Steven Mitchell will all be there, either
competing or teaching or maybe both. (Don't miss a chance to see
Ryan and Sing kick me and Koerner's butts once again!)

AND, THAT'S NOT ALL! You also get the Ginzu knife that cuts
tomatoes into paper thin slices, as well as being strong enough
to cut an aluminum can in two!

No, wait a minute, wrong plug. To cap off the most exciting
10-day period of my life, the most marvelous Kenny Roesel is
going to be guest teacher at the Monday night class at Chevy
Chase Ballroom, repeating his wonderful class on lead-and-follow,
coupling, technique, and balance. This is an AMAZING class, and I
highly recommend it to everyone who's really interested in taking
their dance to a new level. This special class is open to
drop-ins. The specifics: Monday, April 7, 8 to 9 pm, $15. If you
stay for Bernstein, you gotta pay an additional $5.

I heard tell from a spy at Stanford University that Chelsea
Clinton has been spotted at swing dances and has been flipped up
in the air. Her underwear was showing so those few folks who
actually got the footage on tape are forbidden to make copies and
play those tapes in public--forbidden at the risk of instant
expulsion from Stanford! So if any of you Calfornians (or
Stanfordians) are reading this, please tell Chelsea that when
she's home visiting the folks, Lindy is just a hop, skip, and a
jump away from the White House!

This recipe easily serves about 4 people. The most
technically difficult part of the process is making the pancakes
(actually more like crepes). Before you cook up the asparagus,
you may wish to practice with the pancake batter to develop the
technique. And we all know that technique is very important to
Marcus and Barbl.

White asparagus is preferred, but we used green and that was
ok too.

Mix the pancake batter ahead of time. Start with 6 eggs,
beaten thoughoughly. Start with about two cups of flour--ADD THE
FLOUR A CUP AT A TIME, stirring it into the mixture as you add.
Stop before it becomes too hard to stir. Add milk (and water, if
Marcus is not looking) to thin it to the consistancy where you
can pour it easily, yet it coats a spoon. This is basically
runny pancake batter.

Take a large bunch of asparagus (you can put two hands around
a large bunch) and boil it in lightly salted water until fork
tender. Drain the water and the asparagus. Add butter to the
bottom of the pot and lightly saute the asparagus, turning it
occaisionally. Add cream and turn the heat down to a simmer--do
not let it get to boiling or else you'll get a nasty film. (Low
fat afficcianados can substitute milk for the cream. To thicken,
add some flour--but not a whole lot. Lactose intolerant folks
will have to take those special pills).

If you are adept with the pancake technique, you can make the
pancakes at this time. By the time they are finished, the
asparagus will be ready.

Making the pancakes:

Take a hot pan or griddle and coat with corn oil. The pan is
ready when water drops sprinkled on it sizzle. Ladle on about
1/4 cup of the batter and move the pan around until it is coated.
When the edges start to lift, loosen the pancake by shaking the
pan and lightly scraping it away with the spatula. Flip over and
cook the other side. Finished pancakes can be placed on a plate
that covers the pot with the asparagus, thus keeping everything
nicely warm.

Serving the whole dish:

Just before serving, add salt and pepper to the asparagus.
Some creme fraiche can be added as well, if you would like a
thick sauce.

Marcus likes the asparagus with a bit of herb butter--a brand
only available in Germany. We sprinkled the asparagus with a
mixture of thyme, sage, and chives and it seemed good enough to
us...until Marcus complained that garlic was missing. So if
you're making herb butter of your own to add, mix butter with
thyme, sage, chives and chopped garlic.

Spoon about three or four asparagus spears onto the pancake
and pour some of the sauce on top. Roll up the pancake and essen
gut!

Just wanted to get the word out that Ellen and I are teaching
swing at Glen Echo on Monday evenings. And we also have opened
up the Ballroom from 9:00 to 11:30 for open dancing. We have
swing music of all different speeds and even toss in a waltz
every once in a while. The park service is allowing us to try
this as an experiment for a little while. If we get enough of a
turnout, Glen Echo would be available for open dancing,
practicing, etc. every Monday evening. We have tried to keep it
very affordable ($5.00), the proceeds go to Glen Echo and a new
band (rotating), which we will try to bring in once a month

Bring some friends and a favorite tape or CD. Maybe a picnic
before?

And if you know anyone, we would appreciate your spreading the
word. It is the best dance floor in the area and if we can get a
reasonable attendance it will be open to everyone to practice.
If we can not raise enough money for Glen Echo this way we will
have to change over to teaching more classes. We don't mind
teaching more, but we would liketo offer a place to practice too.
Not to mention giving new bands a chance, etc.
Thanks,
---Marc

I just read your note about the site being a year old--wow! I
had no idea it was so new, or that four years ago all the Lindy
Hoppers in D.C. could fit in one room. That's insane! You guys
all looked like this had been your gig forever, and that it was
just the rest of the world that was missing out.

This actually came up the other day between Lars and me. He's
the instructor here that I got started with when I came back to
Dallas last summer after being in D.C. I thought the Dallas
Swing Set also had been around forever, and I found out that
they, too, are new. They've only been around for a little over a
year, as I understand it.

Congratulations, Frank and Carole, you guys have proved that
information technology is as important to dancing as it is to
nuclear warfare. Haha...now THERE'S a thought for ya....

Monsieur Le Frank,
Dear Fellow Hoppers,
This has been one of the most exciting weekends of my entire
life! My heartfelt thanks to all who came to Erik and Sylvia's
classes and to those who made it to the Battle of the Big Bands.
To those of you who didn't make it inside to the Saturday night
dance, I am sincerely sorry. Special thanks to all those who
schlepped Germans and Californians and New Yorkers around, and
SPECIAL thanks to those who danced with Jean Veloz without
dropping her; you know who you are!

The good news is that Friday night at America was MUCH less
crowded than it has been so there was plenty of room to dance.
(It was great fun to have Erik and Sylvia and Jean there just
hanging out and having fun. Unfortunately, Marcus and Barbl, just
in from Germany, had too much jet leg to make it out.) The same
thing was true at Glen Echo; with admissions closed at 650 (many
less people than we're used to seeing), there was MUCH more room
to dance than we've become accustomed to!

Anyway, I'm exhausted tonight and have to get some rest before
the next salvo--this weekend is the ASDC! A mess of us from DC
will be competing, both in the Lindy divisions and the Lindy
Strictly Swing divisions, not to mention our friends in the West
Coast Swing and DC Hand Dance communities--best of luck to all.
This year they also have a Lindy Jack and Jill, and I encourage
everyone to participate!

America will be going strong in our absense this Friday night,
so check it out and enjoy the space! And Koerner and I will be
returning for our regular Sunday night class at America, so join
us for the open dancing from 9 to 11 for funny new stories of the
ASDC.

And my big plug is for the return of Kenny Roesel doing his
wonderful class in lead-and-follow and frame and technique. You
all know I think ALL dancers should have to take this class
before getting their floor license! Anyway, Kenny will be at the
Chevy Chase Ballroom this Monday, April 6. The intermediate class
from 8 to 9 will be open to drop-ins at a cost of $15; all are
most definitely welcome.

One final thing: Tom and I start a new series at George Mason
University this Tuesday, April 7. This series is usually beginner
only, but we have a VERY low pre-registration at this point. So
if you were in the beginner class that just ended, and couldn't
get into the Sunday night intermediate series, show up at 8 pm
and we'll see if we can't do an intermediate series instead. Send
me a message at debster@clark.net to talk about it.

So I'm gonna go put some cold cream on my face and study the
newest fashions from the latest Lauren Bacall movie, and I'll see
y'all on the dance floor.
Love and kisses from Auntish Deb

No folks, I didn't learn my lesson: once again I am trying to
PLAN something. Oy Vey Ist Mir! The Center Dance Company is
putting on a performance this weekend--unfortunately the weekend
of the ADSW. (If you are attending or performing--good luck.
Please pass this message on to someone not so blessed) The third
of the three numbers to be performed is a swing number (which
I, your vintage goddess, costumed!) The producer/director tells
me that after this/during swing number, the audience will be
invited to join in the dancing! The performances are Friday and
Sat at and Sunday at 3:00. Since I am going on a date Friday
(yes! a date!) and the J-Street Jumpers will be at Glen Echo on
Saturday, I would like to go on Sunday. The tickets are $12
each....but we can probably (NO PROMISES) get discounts if we
order as a group of 10 or more. They like me (for some reason)
so I could probably get the discount. Please let me know if you
are interested E-mail me or call me at the shop at 703/644-3004
or at home 703/931-1742. This is not a couples thing--I am sure
we can all switch off. etc. And the first two numbers are NOT
swing-related, but that might be good for us. I hope, even if
you are not interested for yourself, you will pass this message
on to others who might be.....my e-mail list needs some updating,
so no one was left out intentionally.
---Love yas, Ellen

I have to admit this weekend, I was really looking forward to
meeting Jean Veloz. I didn't know what to expect other than Tom
said she was a nice person and I saw her in the movie
Groovie Movie and Swing Fever. Tom
was wrong again. Jean was a wonderful person. She was so down
to earth and humble I forgot sometimes that she is a great lindy
hopper that I admire.

On Saturday night, Jean was sitting at our table and I asking
her cheezy questions like, "Did you expect that you would
have influenced so many people" or something like that. She
began to down play her role and influence until Duke, a GMU
student from Tom's Tuesday night class spoke up and said,
"You [Jean] got my grandmother to dance." He proceeded
to tell us that he had talked to his grandmother earlier that day
and she said that she saw Groovie Movie four times
so she could watch Jean. Jean had a surprised look on her face
with a look of "who me?"

When I asked Jean to dance on Friday, she told me she couldn't
do (Savoy) lindy and we danced anyway only to be schooled on the
whip later by her. She could dance lindy and she did it well.
She critiqued my style so I could get better. And she still has
her style. Heather told me that she did not need to be told that
was Jean Veloz, she could tell by her foot work. Her foot work
was the same that she had seen in Groovie Movie.

By the end of her trip, I had forgotten why I wanted to meet
her. Yes at the beginning, I wanted to meet her because she was
a legend, but now I am glad I got to meet her because she is a
nice and wonderful person. Thank you again Tom and Deb for
bringing her out.
---Cameron Sellers

Dancers kicked up their heels to the tune of "Bei Mir
Bist Du Schon", a 1930s big band standard, as Chris
Steinmetz, 22, gave dance tips. "Bounce, down, bounce.
You've got to feel that swing," said Steinmetz, who wore a
black suit, black fedora and black-and-white spectator shoes. His
wife, Jennifer Steinmetz, 22, in a long black '40s-style dress
and red shoes, walked among the young dancers.

The Steinmetzes host Cafe Bizmarck, a once-a-month big band
swing club held in a church basement on Highland, where young
people can experience the music and dance styles of their parents
and grandparents.

Cafe Bizmarck is held the first Saturday of each month at
Covenant Community Church at 704 N. Highland. Next month,
however, it will be on March 14. The cost is $ 6 a person, $ 18 a
couple.

Between 7 and 8 p.m., Steinmetz and his wife give lessons on
how to do the Lindy hop, the jitterbug, the Charleston and other
dance steps to recordings of swing music. Then, The New Memphis
Hepcats crank up the real swing music and the dance officially
begins.

In addition to featuring the music of Count Basie, Benny
Goodman and others, the club helps spread the word of God.
"We're all about just loving God and swinging it out at the
same time," Chris said. "But yet, we're not slamming
religion down somebody's throats.

"It's more of a one-on-one thing. Instead of somebody
getting up and preaching from a stage and that's it, just come
out and have a good time. We're more than happy to get to know
you a little better."

The main purpose of the club is so young people "can
still have fun without getting drunk and destroying things and
just getting into a bunch of trouble - and still swing it out
with the best of them."

The bar serves nonalcoholic drinks, including martinis made,
as the menu says, from "gin-gerale and lemon
juice."

Caroline Fourmy, 14, and Jonathan Boyd, 16, club regulars,
danced like professionals during this month's club night.
"If you mess up, no one really cares as long as you do it
with style," Fourmy said.

Chuck Wenzler, 18, who's been to the club twice, said, "I
love jazz. And live jazz is 10 times better because it's there.
You can feel the emotion."

Door prizes were given for the best '30s or '40s attire, but
long-haired Loic Bruneau, 18, wore a black T-shirt and blue jeans
on his first visit to the club. Bruneau said he usually dances to
techno music, but he liked the beat of the big band.

He and Rachel Skelton, 17, arrived too late for the dance
lessons, but they went outside and practiced some steps. "I
think we learned more of the throwing around than the actual
steps," Bruneau said.

The Steinmetzes got hooked on swing after seeing the 1993
movie Swing Kids, which is set during World War
II.

Chris realized he'd loved swing music for some time, but he
didn't know what it was called. "It's just got that beat
that gets you and makes you want to get up and move.

"When you get 'Sing, Sing, Sing' going, there's a point
in the song where everything kicks in and you can really feel
that swing coming. You can see it in everybody's faces. And
that's the whole thing. You just feel it."

The Steinmetzes knew they were completely hooked on swing when
they listened to a local alternative band perform. "We sat
there watching everybody jumping and banging into each
other," Chris said. "I turned to my wife and said, 'I
don't know if this means I'm getting old or not, but swing music
is just more fun.' "

They tried to find local places where they could dance to
swing. They went to the Count Basie Orchestra concert last June
at The New Daisy. "It was packed out and incredible, but you
couldn't dance or anything and it drove you nuts. " They
finally decided to start their own swing club.

As members of Covenant Community Church, they thought the
basement of the church, which becomes Cafe 704B, a Christian
alternative club for teens, on Friday nights, would be a perfect
spot. They wrote a proposal to the pastor, Steve Noblett, who
liked the idea.

Their opening night last September drew 81 people. They used
CDs instead of a live band. The next month, the turnout was
sparse because people felt they could listen to CDs at home,
Chris said.

Then, they got a call from Jeremy Shrader, 21, who'd heard
about the club and wanted to know if they'd found a live band. He
volunteered the services of The New Memphis Hepcats.

Shrader, known as "Spanky Malone" when he plays big
band music on his trumpet, also is a member of CYC, a local band
that plays jazz, funk and rock.

Cafe Bizmarck already is outgrowing Covenant Community Church.
The Steinmetzes are looking for a bigger building,
"something we can make an authentic club out of, with better
atmosphere, more of a restaurant-meets-dance-club-type
atmosphere like it was back then," Chris said.

Although the majority of the dancers at Cafe Bizmarck are in
their teens and 20s, older people occasionally drop in.

Jerry Austin, 55, and his wife, Sherri, 32, rented '40s attire
to attend the recent dance. Jerry wore a blue-and-white-striped
zoot suit and Sherri was dressed in a bronze outfit with matching
hat.

Sherri said her favorite part of the evening was
"teaching Jerry how to do the jitterbug."

Mike Gross, 48, Jennifer Steinmetz's dad, stood at the bar and
watched the young people dance. "This'll make you feel as
old as you are," he said. "These kids can do it better
than we can."

You don't have to look far to see that swing dancing has made
a big comeback in recent years. You see it in the movies, the
songs are on the radio and lessons are being offered almost every
night of the week. Austin gets a chance to see how swing has
swung over the years this weekend when Acia Gray and the members
of Tapestry Dance Company present their winter concert
"Swingin' Then and Now."

As sole artistic director of the company this year, Acia Gray
has put together a show of her own work that highlights the
generational differences in swing dancing. Although she considers
herself an amateur "historian" when it comes to swing,
Gray felt comfortable enough interpreting the popular swing
basics like the Lindy Hop and the Jitter Bug and putting them
to tunes such as "Caldonia", "Stingy",
"Cheap Old Whiskey and Wine" and other lyric-based
tunes from the '40s and '50s.

The first act, which Gray describes as "campy,"
allowed Gray and her company members' musical theater backgrounds
to come to the fore and color the dancing. Though chiefly
composed of couple dancing, the first act also has a solo by Gray
to "This Joint's too Hip for Me," and Nicholas Young
has a self-generated solo to "I Ain't Drinkin', I'm Just
Drunk." With all Act 1 's references to drinking and shady
behavior, Gray admits, a little nervously, the company may be
walking the tightrope of being "politically
incorrect."

The second act tackles swing dancing "now" -- which
according to Gray is much more "raw" than the
traditional swing of the first act. Gray describes the second act
as dense, and much more fatiguing. "You see real people
dancing, not just the stereotypes of Act 1." She is hoping
the emphasis on the percussive sounds and the more intimate
movement in Act 2 will provide a contrast to character-based
dancing of the first act. Another notable difference will be in
the music: The troupe will be dancing to a lot of European acid
jazz. Gray, however, is quick to point out this isn't what people
think it is. Acid jazz, according to Gray, is jazz music with a
funky back beat," music that is very easy to listen and
dance to. And one of the highlighted dances to this syncopated
and pulsating music is called "Split Into Fractions,"
to which Gray says, "you could just close your eyes and
listen to the rhythms being created, and it would still be
enjoyable." But then again, if you did shut your eyes,
you'll miss out on the fancy footwork that has made Tapestry so
well known.

"Swingin' Then and Now" premiered last weekend in
Conroe, and following Tapestry's production here in Austin they
will be off to tour in New Mexico and Colorado. Gray says she and
the company have been ready to get out of her
"choreographing mode" and to get into the dancing, and
she finds they're especially eager to do that for the Austin
audiences. If swing is your thing, this is your show.

Swing: Old is New Again
From: News & Record (Greensboro, NC)
Swing has swung back into the spotlight.

Fifty years after its peak, swing - the dance and the music -
is again creeping into popular culture. Bands like the Squirrel
Nut Zippers cash in with swing-style jazz. College students
nationwide go to dance halls to learn the Lindy hop.

It's now remembered as the mainstream pop music of the 1930s
and '40s, but swing started in small African American dance halls
in the late '20s. Black composers wrote swing's first songs. And
black dancers created the Lindy, swing's signature dance.

"Like all the other great American dances of the 20th
century, the Lindy started in the black community and spread out
around the world," says Sally Sommer, associate professor of
dance at Duke University.

The pioneers of swing jazz were black bandleaders like
Fletcher Henderson, Benny Moten and Duke Ellington. Like white
bandleaders at the time, they led big bands of up to 18
musicians, divided into rhythm, woodwind and brass sections.
But Henderson and the early swing figures changed big band music
by having their soloists improvise. This innovation gave songs a
looser, less predictable feel.

Another innovation was a shift from two-four time to four-four
time. To dancers, that meant a steadier beat. Those early swing
songs were easier - and more exciting - to dance to than standard
big bands of the period.

And for swing, dancing is just as important as the music.
Bands in the '20s weren't playing to idle audiences the way
modern jazz bands do. Swing audiences were usually dancers in
large dance halls.

"Swing was dance music," says Thomas Hennessey,
author of "From Jazz to Swing" (Wayne State University
Press, 1994). "It was a new kind of music and the dancers
were creating new dances to go along with it."

The most important new dance was the Lindy hop. A man named
"Shorty George" Snowden named the Lindy one night in
1927, dance historians say.

Snowden, a regular at the Savoy ballroom in New York City, did
some fast-paced dance steps with his partner that night: he'd
swing her away from him, then suddenly pull her back to him and
continue dancing. Most contemporary dances, like the Charleston,
required that the man and woman dance side by side for a time.
But Snowden and his partner were nearly always touching.

The speedy, exciting dance left onlookers gawking. A newspaper
reporter asked Snowden the name of the new dance. "The hop -
the Lindy hop," Snowden said, naming the dance after aviator
Charles Lindbergh.

After that, the Lindy spawned dozens of swing dances. The East
Coast swing, the West Coast swing and the Carolinas' shag are
variations on the Lindy. "Jitterbug" is just another
name for the Lindy.

The Savoy Ballroom (in Harlem) is the place where the Lindy
was created. "It was really a national movement," says
Hennessey, associate professor of history at Fayetteville State
University. "New York, Kansas City and Chicago served as the
centers, but there were very few places in the late '20s and
early '30s where there was not some early swing being
played."

By the mid-'30s, swing's popularity had spread across the
country, among black and white people. Black swing leaders like
Duke Ellington and Count Basie became national celebrities. So
did white bandleaders like Benny Goodman, Harry James, Tommy
Dorsey, Jimmy Dorsey and Glenn Miller.

As GIs traveled in Europe and the Far East during World War
II, they brought swing with them. Those famous musicians, songs
and dances became popular around the world.

A Crabtowne Band Playing for Dancers
By: Judith Green, The Baltimore Sun

The "Hesitation Waltz" is not in the repertory of
the Crabtowne Big Band. But then, this is not a band that plays
much in three-quarter time. When the music starts at Surfside 7
in Edgewater on Wednesday nights, the tiny dance floor fills
immediately with couples jitterbugging, shagging and Lindy
hopping. But no waltzes. Fans of the group, which began in the
early 1980s as a rehearsal band and played in a church basement,
say its lively and danceable music has life and a spirit that
makes it fun.

Take Charles and Vivian Claypool of Severna Park, for
instance. They've been dancing together for 50 years, married for
49. "They play danceable music, and they have a good
beat," Charles says of the band. His wife adds,
"They're enjoying themselves. They have a life and a spirit
that a lot of bands don't."

The Claypools have been Crabtowne groupies since it was the
house band at Jason's (now the Eastport Clipper) in the
mid-1980s. And from the ease of their dancing, it's clear they
know what they want in a band.

"They play danceable music, and they have a good
beat," says Charles. His wife adds: "They're enjoying
themselves. They have a life and a spirit that a lot of bands
don't."

Crabtowne plays the classics, from "Take the A Train"
to "My Funny Valentine," from "Makin'
Whoopee" to "The Shadow of Your Smile."

Most of its approximately 17 musicians have been playing in
jazz bands since high school. The ages of the players average in
the mid-40s, and their Surfside 7 nights are a release, an
opportunity to revel in the music of a bygone, tuneful era.

Money from weekly gig

What money they make at their weekly gig goes for new
arrangements, music-stand lights, cables, folders and the band
ties, blue embroidered crabs on a red background. A crab playing
a saxophone adorns the band fronts, the stands that hold the
music for the saxophones.

Their families have learned to live with boys' night out on
Wednesdays. (All but one player and the band's vocalist are men.)
"She's come to grips with it," says sax player Tom
Andrews of his wife, Peggy. "Except when we play on New
Year's Eve."

Some of the history of band is in nicknames many of the
players have acquired from band announcer and bass player Randy
Morris, owner of Annapolis Marine Electronics:

Morris and Nick Pastelak, "the singing drummer,"
call each other "Flail and Flounder," after a night
when they couldn't do anything right.

Doug Hart, who plays tenor sax and manages the band's
business, is known as "Goose Down and Dirty" Doug.
Originally, it
was just "Down and Dirty" for his style of solo
playing. On an exceptionally cold night at the King of France
Tavern, however, he spent the whole evening in his ski parka
"and played better than he ever had before," says
Morris.

Eric Pietras, another tenor sax player, is called "Five
Alarm" because he accidentally set off the fire alarm when
the band was playing at a senior center.

Scott Holbert, the lead trumpet player, is called
"Pocket Change" because he tells people when they're
"10 cents sharp" or a "nickel flat."

Began in early 1980s

Crabtowne began in the early 1980s as a rehearsal band,
playing even then just for the fun of it, in the basement of
Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church in Severna Park, says
trumpeter Dwight Fielder, one of the charter members.

In 1984, the band went professional. Over the years, it has
played at a slew of Anne Arundel night spots, many of which
aren't there any more.

Before the Surfside, the longest gig was five years at King of
France Tavern in the basement of the Maryland Inn. There, the
band not only played every Wednesday, but also opened for or
backed up major acts such as jazz guitarist John Pizzarelli and
singer Ethel Ennis.

At first they played for "the gate" (the cover
charge). Then management decided to keep the gate and pay the
band a small fee. That degenerated into a "tip jar"
gig. Some nights the tips barely covered expenses; other nights,
it swelled to $ 150 or $ 200, but that had to be divided among 17
players.

"If we had to make a living, we'd all starve to
death," says Hart, deputy officer for operations in the
county health department.

The band also plays weddings, fund-raisers such as the Holly
Ball and events such as the Anne Arundel County Fair and the
Star-Spangled Celebration around the Fourth of July. For some of
those engagements, it charges $ 1,500 to $ 1,800, which assures
the players of $ 75 to $ 100 for a day's or night's work.

Surfside since January

In January, the Crabtowners accepted an offer from Jerry
Osuna, owner of the Surfside, to move to the Edgewater venue,
where they are paid a nightly fee. The Surfside also has a
regular blues night on Thursdays and the Stef Scaggiari Trio with
Artie Dicks on Mondays. "Our business [on Wednesdays] is up
a good 100 percent, and I'm estimating an 80 percent increase in
head count," says Osuna. "They're drawing the market we
had hoped."

Crabtowne's audiences followed it to Edgewater, and newcomers
crowd the dance floor at the supper club. Among them are Dave and
Gay Shepardson, 37 and 39 respectively, Web site designers from
Annapolis who show up in matching black-and-white shoes to Lindy
hop. This dance from the 1930s -- its flying-style gyrations pay
homage to Charles Lindbergh -- has recently come back into
vogue.

From the Claypools' elegance to the Shepardsons' verve, the
Crabtowne Big Band draws all kinds, but one thing connects them:
the music of an era when dance and song were inseparable, as were
the dancers who hummed and swayed to it.

Hundreds of people from across the country attended the third
annual Monsters of Swing dance contest at Nicholby's in Ventura
this weekend.

Professional dancers gave lessons during the day to those
fascinated with the music of the '30s and '40s, teaching them how
to do the Lindy Hop, East Coast Swing, Fast Lindy, Slow Lindy and
Charleston. The sessions covered everything from lifts and hops
to spins and slides.

And at nightfall, dancers could enter the Jack and Jill Swing,
Couples Swing, Jack and Jill Slow and Couples Slow contests.

"It's a nightclub version of a dance camp," said
event organizer Lee Moore of Ventura. "During the day
there's the classes, and then at night wild dancing and
partying."

About 300 people participated in the three-day celebration,
which included vendors selling swing videos and merchandise,
including vintage and modern clothing, CDs, zoot suits and tap
shoes. Cash and other prizes totaling more than $ 2,000 also were
offered.

The big-band dance music and swing dancing popular from the
Great Depression through World War II have experienced a recent
resurgence. "People are dancing with partners again, and the
music is happy and fun," said Moore, who teaches swing and
Lindy Hop classes at Nicholby's on Monday and Wednesday evenings.
"People have a good time with it. They dress up and really
get into it. It's a real positive environment."

Ryan Francois, the reigning American swing dance champion and
U.S. Open champion, believes the swing scene is more positive
than other popular dances of late.

"If you go to a disco, people stand in their separate
spots and don't necessarily communicate with each other,"
said Francois, who arrived from London to teach the Lindy Hop
this weekend.

"However, if you walk into a place where there is swing
or Lindy Hop, people are not only dancing with each other, but
there's a collective feeling that they are one group,"
Francois said.

"It's also a safe environment", he added.

"You can put your purse down and it will still be there
at the end of the evening," Francois said. "And there
is no fighting. It's a great atmosphere and fun to be a peacock
on the dance floor."

At The Savoy in London tonight, crowds of young people will
take to the dancefloor - not to stomp to a disco beat but to do
the quickstep and the samba accompanied by a big band.

Forty years after rock'n'roll sent ballroom dancing twisting
into decline, big band music and the old-fashioned waltz are
making an elegant comeback. Tonight and every Saturday this year,
The Savoy is rolling back the carpet on the sprung maple
dancefloor where Noel Coward danced in the 1940s.

Seated at the spot where Judy Campbell performed "A
Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" during the Blitz, the
Piccadilly Dance Orchestra will strike up hits from the 1920s and
1930s such as "Shall We Dance" and "Happy Days are
Here Again".

It is hoped that Miss Campbell, 80, will return to sing
"Nightingale" for the dancers as they quickstep, waltz,
foxtrot and cha-cha-cha in the Thames Foyer, where dinner-dancing
began at the turn of the century.

The acceptance of ballroom dancing as an Olympic sport and the
surge in young people learning to dance in the
"old-fashioned way" encouraged The Savoy to reinstate
ballroom dancing on the 10 by 20-metre floor where afternoon tea
is taken.

The hotel, opened by Richard D'Oyly Carte in 1889, believes
there is a fast-growing demand for traditional entertainment
where men can be "gentlemen" and women
"ladies", and where they can dress up with style to go
dancing cheek-to-cheek.

Up to five million people in Britain go dancing regularly,
according to research presented at a recent seminar, Dance in the
City, at the ICA in Central London. But with the conversion of
dozens of ballrooms into bingo halls and discotheques, dancers
have been forced underground - into church halls, small studios
and anywhere that they can find a few feet of unoccupied
floorspace. Those determined to go on with the dance frequent the
regular tea dances at the Waldorf and the Cafe de Paris in
London, or the packed social dances across the country, such as
at the Coliseum in Watford. Traditional big band dancing,
however, has become difficult to find outside private parties,
weddings and "dance sport" competitions.

Michael Law, leader of the Piccadilly Dance Orchestra, which
includes brass, drums, piano and female vocalist, said:
"What The Savoy is doing is absolutely wonderful. The floor
is large and just the right space. The atmosphere is great.

"We are using the original printed arrangements from the
Twenties and Thirties, as well as arrangements I've copied myself
from old recordings. There is a revival of ballroom dancing.
Swing, jive and lindy hop from the Thirties are also making a
comeback, not to mention the Charleston.

"The heavy backbeat of rock'n'roll knocked it all on the
head in the Sixties. But youngsters are rediscovering how
thrilling and exhilarating these old tunes are.

"They have a real bounce, and they are used in so many
films and advertisements today that young people find they know
all the tunes already. They are becoming aware of the wealth of
good music from their grandparents' generation and they want to
dance."

Susan Scott, 29, Savoy archivist, who is learning the
Argentine tango, said: "People have not forgotten the music
of Carroll Gibbons and Geraldo. It is not dead. It is not even on
its last gasp. There are hundreds of young people like me who
enjoy it."

Dancing was introduced at The Savoy by the manager, Cesar
Ritz, who joined the hotel in 1890, and was responsible for
hiring the chef Auguste Escoffier. "He wanted to make it
respectable for ladies to dine out in hotels in public,"
Miss Scott said. "Women did dine out, but they were not
necessarily the kind of women you could take home to your
mother.

"Cesar Ritz got Lady de Grey, the society hostess, to
bring in a party of people and placed them discreetly behind
screens. Once she did it, everybody did it. He also introduced
pink tablecloths and soft lighting, and invited bands in to play
live music. There is a legend that one of the Strauss family was
brought in once to play. Then, one day in May 1913, a couple got
up and started dancing between the tables. Other people looked
and thought it seemed like fun, and that was how dinner-dancing
began."

The BBC began broadcasting live band music from The Savoy in
1923, and it was relayed directly to dance halls, obviating
the need for their own musical arrangements.

The hotel went on to lead the tango craze in the Twenties,
when it introduced "Tango Teas" and even the Prince of
Wales took to the floor. Rudolph Valentino was said to cause
havoc among mothers and daughters when he moved to the music of
band leader Geraldo, the European pioneer of the rhumba.

According to The Savoy, a history of the hotel by Stanley
Jackson, one dancer, M Max, used to ride in Rotten Row and then
drive his Rolls-Royce to the hotel to demonstrate intricate
dancesteps like the Scissor. His luggage included 120 pairs of
shoes.

Ken Bateman and Blanche Ingle, who are in their seventies,
were employed to dance nightly at The Savoy in the 1950s.
"Our job was to start off the dancing in the evening. When
other people started to get up on the floor, our job was to sit
down," said Mr Bateman, who now teaches in Slough.

They were given a free dinner and paid 5 Pounds. "It was
a nice, easy job. The floor used to be packed. It is fantastic
that they are bringing this back."

Wolfgang Winter, Savoy spokesman and a former competitive
ballroom dancer, said: "There has always been dinner dancing
at The Savoy, Claridge's and other hotels, but this is different.
Although we serve supper for the dancers, this is for people
who come to listen to music and to dance.

"Big band dancing died out at The Savoy many years ago.
For a long time, dancing has been reserved for parties and
weddings. But now dance schools are experiencing a resurgence of
interest. People are rediscovering the joy of dance."

Paying the dues: Over the past three years, dances such as the
Lindy Hop have resurfaced in nightclubs across the nation with
modern swing-style bands jiving into the limelight.

Heavenly Seven's lead vocalist, Jody Byrd, denies his band is
just hopping on the swing bandwagon. "I've been in the
Arizona swing scene for more than three years," Byrd said.
"I danced the jitterbug and the Lindy Hop."

The 26-year-old said he has always loved the music, beginning
with the songs of Frank Sinatra.

"About seven years ago, I auditioned for the musical It
Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing," Byrd added.
"I memorized every song from the album Swinging Songs
for Swinging Lovers and sang 'Pennies From Heaven' and
'You Make Me Feel So Young'. And got the part."

The other members of the group have been performing music from
jazz to funk to R&B to gospel for the past seven to 15 years.
All study music at Arizona State University. Each member puts in
several hours a week fine-tuning his individual sound and the
group's compositions.

When asked how much time he puts in a week, Stiles, the
trombone player and musical arranger, responded, "Oh, good
lord, I spend almost 100 hours a week working on our
music."

Stiles says the members of the group have sacrificed both
financially and socially. "Having this kind of commitment
is difficult," Stiles said. "We are always flying by
the seat of our pants."

Often compared to: Byrd said at least once a week his crooning
is compared to that of Harry Connick Jr. "Perhaps they are
right, but I think I have a deeper tone."

As for the sound of the band, It's pure jump swing. "We
take a lot from old-school swingers like the Ellington band,
Miles Davis and Count Basie," O'Donohoe said. "Our
harmonies are very complex and colorful. But the groove is still
happening."

Group chemistry: The current lineup has been together for only
six months. Stiles credits the members' friendship for their
ability to turn out a quality sound so quickly.

"We played with each other extensively for the last year
and a half. A lot of acquiring of members came out of
friendships."

Words of wisdom: Byrd had very little training before working
with the band and said his lack of experience set him up for
ridicule when he started pushing for a swing group.

"A lot of people laughed in my face and said there was no
way I could get anything started," Byrd added. "I
believe in fate. If you want something bad enough, you'll get it.
Let the crap be fuel for the fire."

Claim to fame: "We are getting some airplay on the Edge
(FM 106.3 and 100.3) radio station for our song 'Swing
Daddy'," Byrd said.

Dream: Like most musicians, Byrd would like to get a major
label contract, which will help him achieve a dream of another
sort. "I want to buy a mid-'40s Grand Deluxe Chevrolet
four-door, painted metallic blue," Bryd added. "I like
the kind of car that takes 10 seconds to get around the
corner."